Uganda Rwenzori Natural One Roast
Uganda Rwenzori Natural
Four years ago, we were sent natural processed coffee samples from the Rwenzoris. We rejected the coffee, firstly because it wasn’t the best and secondly I didn’t know who the coffee was from. After a meeting or two and understanding the relationship behind selling this coffee and the difference on the ground, the journey began. Today, this natural (in my opinion) is incredible and amongst my favourites this year.
Farm Stats
(Top Trumps if you prefer)
Farmers: Smallholder farms average size of 1/2 hectare.
Mill; Rwenzori Coffee Company
Area: Rwenzori, westen Uganda
Altitude: 1200 to 2300 Meters above sea level
Varietals: SL28, SL34
Process: Natural
Roast: One Roast
Cup Potential 🥣
Aromatics: Ripe summer fruits | Body: Rich and Creamy | Acidity: Jammy, citric|
Unusually this Rwenzori natural has everything upfront. The deep ripeness and cocoa (you usually get after half an hour of steeping) and a spirited acidity. As the coffee settles, there’s a white fruity sweetness (think pear and lychee) strawberry jam ripeness and a delicate, ripe lingering acidity. If you are patient, after a good 45 minutes, this is fig and cacao-like.
Filter Recipe: This is a dream filter brew. 65g per litre in cafetiere will be spot on with all of the other things in place.
Espresso Potential.
Recipe:16-18g into 32-36g of espresso liquid in 25-30 seconds. 93.5+C seems to work for milk-based drinks. There is so much soluble in this coffee that it is such an easy coffee to brew.
9oz Milk-based drink: This is more like a fruit pudding than a coffee. Best with whole milk, it loves you back.
6oz Milk-based drink: I know, I often use the word MORE with flat whites, but that is the point. More flavour, less milk. More ripe fruit sugars, deeper chocolate, and that finish that crops up in filter brewing.
Espresso: This just didn’t work (for me) at 93C(+.5C) By adding 1 degree C, to 94.5C lifted the mist away and the tannins became sugars, and that rich, ripe jammy fruity theme came into the espresso.
16-18g of coffee into 45g of espresso liquid 28-32 seconds.
Local/ Farm Info
This coffee comes to us via Agri-Evolve, and Omwani. This is the sum of many smallholder farmers, with great processing. JW of Omwani, is a co-founder of Agri-Evolve and still a shareholder today. Agri-Evolve is a purpose-for-profit enterprise, helping thousands of smallholder farms in Uganda. As you may have read above, they are working hard to improve quality and in my opinion, are doing an amazing job. This will in turn increase value for the whole chain These are exciting times indeed for Ugandan coffee.
If you fancy sharing your brews with us, there is always JG Instagram
